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Two goals in the first eight minutes of the second half sealed the game for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women’s soccer team as they demolished the Loyola Ramblers in the Horizon League Tournament Championship game 6-2.

The Panthers went into the match after losing to Loyola a year ago 3-2 in a five-round shoot-out at Engelmann Field. Milwaukee’s only conference loss this season was at Loyola in October, 1-0. The Panthers went into the match with an eight-game winning-streak and the same conference record as the Ramblers, 7-1-1.

Freshman Sarah Hagen who was named tournament MVP had three goals and two assists in the victory. Nicole Sperl, Keara Thompson and Louise Vraney also added a goal each while Kate Megna had one of the biggest days with three assists.

Milwaukee had the momentum from the beginning as they controlled the ball and the pace of the game completely. It was none other than Hagen to start the scoring off when Kayla DeJardin crossed a pass and Hagen put the shot in the net off Loyola goalkeeper freshman Katie Groesch in the 33rd minute.

Just a few minutes later in the 40th minute Megna took a short corner kick to Sperl who used a hooking shot from the top of the box to put it in the top right of the goal to push the Panthers lead to 2-0.

With 12 seconds left in the first half the Panthers had a chance for another goal with a corner kick but the hurry-up offense failed to produce a goal as Milwaukee headed into the half with a two-goal cushion.

The Ramblers are notorious for playing strong in the second half but the Panthers proved to be too much as they scored two goals in the first eight minutes of the second half. Hagen, who was a part of five different goals, earned an assist when she dished the ball to Thompson for the Panthers third goal of the game in the 47th minute.

Milwaukee still refused to lift the pressure and just a few minutes later in the 54th minute, it was Hagen’s turn again as she took a rebound off a header and launched a left-footed shot rifling past Groesch to extend the lead, 4-0.

Loyola wouldn’t give up, however, as two-time Horizon League Player of the Year Cynthia Morote-Ariza took a breakaway and put a shot past the diving Erin Kane to put the score at 4-1. Kane finished with two goals allowed while saving five shot attempts.

Continuing with the offensive dominance was Vraney, who took a pass from Megna up the left side and beat the defender to put a perfectly placed shot between a diving Groesch and the left post. Just a minute later in the 65th minute Hagen put a ball in the back of the net, but was called for off sides, revoking the goal.

With the pressure still on, Hagen fought for a ball from both a defender and the Loyola goalkeeper, who came out of the box and collided with the defender, and took it past both as she put the ball in the back of the wide-open net for her third goal of the game in the 77th minute.

It was under a minute later when Morote-Ariza nailed another goal past Kane for the Ramblers final goal of the game, marking the most goals scored against Milwaukee since a 2-2 tie with Brown in September.

Five Panthers were named to the All-Tournament team including Kane, Sarah Teegarden, Megna, Mary Wandolowski and Hagen who, with four goals earned MVP.

Milwaukee advances to the NCAA Tournament as the No.19 seed in the nation and will find out their tournament seed Nov. 10th. The Panthers will most likely host their first round matchup on Friday, Nov. 14 at Engelmann Field with a time yet to be announced.

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